CoFluent probably ran out of money and was looking for a savior.
It's also a big tax write-off for Intel. They will shut down the company except for a few engineers to support Intel projects. Intel has a lot of in-house tools, this is just another one.

Intel is in other markets, with McAfee for security and Wind River (including Virtutech) for software and EDA.
In your scenario, the theory is that Intel considers Cofluent technology strategic for its own use and thus take ownership of it. We can't know that without having terms of the deal (which do not look to be revealed). However, I'm wondering if there have been other examples of an EDA firm acquired by an electronics house rather than another EDA company?
What remains to be seen is if Cofluent is taken entire in-house or if it remains out in the world to sell and compete. The other examples make the latter seem more likely ... but we will see!

I don't know for sure. I have put the question into Intel's communications people but no reply as yet.
But here is a scenario: suppose Intel liked CoFluent Studio and had bought lots of seats and was doing multicore design work and software parallelization work using the tools.
And then CoFluent said they needed more money to continue and asked if Intel Capital would lead an investment round.
So Intel thought about it and said why not just buy the company and cut off other chip and systems companies from access to the technology in the longer term -- obviously established contracts would be honored.
After all in February of this year Intel was boasting it had moved up to being the fifth-largest software company in the world.
I understand all CoFluent's customers were informed about the deal so perhaps one of them could comment on Intel's motivation?

In conjunction with unveiling of EE Times’ Silicon 60 list, journalist & Silicon 60 researcher Peter Clarke hosts a conversation on startups in the electronics industry. One of Silicon Valley's great contributions to the world has been the demonstration of how the application of entrepreneurship and venture capital to electronics and semiconductor hardware can create wealth with developments in semiconductors, displays, design automation, MEMS and across the breadth of hardware developments. But in recent years concerns have been raised that traditional venture capital has turned its back on hardware-related startups in favor of software and Internet applications and services. Panelists from incubators join Peter Clarke in debate.